Rule(30)

Chapter 6

Shaw

“Stop looking at me like that.”  I fiddled with my hair and adjusted the neck of the scarf I had on to cover my neck.  Rome was looking at me like he was trying to see inside my head and I didn’t like it one bit.  I ignored his calls all day Sunday because I was still trying to get my head around the fact that I had drunkenly demanded Rule take my virginity and I had been sore, both from the booze and the bed acrobatics.  I had a test Monday and had to work a closing shift, on Tuesday I did a volunteer shift at the children’s hospital and suffered through an ungodly dinner with my father and his new wife so Rome had been forced to wait until Wednesday to take me on my belated birthday dinner.  Ever since I sat down he had been peering at me intently and I had to kept checking to make sure that the scarf was covering the lovely hickey Rule had left Saturday night.  I got enough flak from Ayden about it and I didn’t need Rome joining in on the Shaw is an idiot band wagon.

“It’s the hair.  It’s nice but I’m just used to the all blond.  You look different, more mature.”

“Thanks, I like it.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in jeans either.”

“I went shopping for my birthday.  I decided that the pearls and heels didn’t need to be worn every time I left the house, I have plenty for when it’s time to play society maven for the folks.”

“Speaking of birthdays I brought this from mom and dad.”  He handed me a little bag and I set it on the table between us.

“Your mom won’t talk to me; I tried to call her the other day.”

“She’s having a hard time now that you laid the law down.  She always viewed you as an ally in the war on the get Rule to get his act together war.  She just doesn’t see what she’s doing to him, to us.”

I sighed.  “I know that’s why I had to stop.”

“This is from me.”  He gave me a gift certificate to my favorite bath and body store.  I smiled and gave him a big hug.  I just loved this guy, he looked like a warrior but he had such a good heart.

“Thank you Rome, that’s so sweet.  I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me too little girl, I tried to get Rule to come out but he had a late client.  He was grumbling about having to draw yet another Harry Potter tattoo or something, I guess I forget he actually has to work.”

I peeked inside the bag.  It was a picture.  Margot had found one of the very first pictures taken of me and Remy and put it in a lovely silver frame.  I was so small and awkward and Remy so tall and handsome, we looked ridiculous but it was a sweet gesture and it brought tears to my eyes.  I showed it to Rome and slid it back into the bag.

“I miss him every day.”

“I do too; I miss the way he made everyone act right.”

I laughed a little and sipped some of my iced tea.  “Yeah he was good at policing the way everyone treated each other, he didn’t tolerate any of the silliness we tend to allow.”

“Rule said he’s run into you a couple times, how was that?”

I cleared my throat and willed the scarlet blush that had been accompanying Rule’s name all week to stay at bay.  “Kinda weird.  He came into the bar I worked at with a bunch of friends on a game day.  It’s strange to interact with each other like normal people.”

He nodded and I noticed the waitress openly checking him out when she dropped off our dinner.  “He said told me you’ve been having some issues with your ex.”

I groaned and gave my head a shake.  “He has a big mouth.”  Among other things but I wasn’t going to let my dirty mind go there.

“So what’s the deal little girl?”

I made a face and shoved a bite of pasta into my mouth.  “Rule already talked to him, so did the enormous ex-marine that bounces at the bar.  Gabe’s just a spoiled guy that isn’t used to rejection.  He’s having trouble hearing me say no.”

“Is he still calling you?”

I didn’t want to lie so I tried to change the subject.  “What did the doctor say about your shoulder?”

He narrowed his eyes at me and poked at his own food.  “He thinks I need to up my physical therapy and if that doesn’t work I might need a second surgery to fuse the bones together, either way I’ll be home longer than I thought.”

“Well that’s good isn’t it?”

He shrugged and I got the impression that he wasn’t as excited about the prospect as I was.

“I guess.”

“You want to go back?”

“I want to finish my tour; I don’t want my tour to end like this.  I hate leaving my platoon hanging.  I’ve been in the Army for six years, Shaw; I don’t really know how to do anything else.”

“You have a whole lot of people that love you Rome, getting out of the Army and being safe shouldn’t be what scares you.”

“I know that, but it is what it is.”

We lapsed into a minute of silence before he went back to Gabe.  “What did Rule say to the ex?”

I lifted a shoulder and let it fall.  “I dunno.  He told him to leave me alone and Gabe immediately jumped to the conclusion that the reason I dumped him was because of Rule.  Everyone always thinks that everything I do is because of Rule.  It gets old.”